Sector spacer



Sept. 11, 1923. I 1,467,395

G. ROSS ET AL SECTOR SPACER Filed May 31 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .-,.w,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 0,1,,"Imam",uunulmquunmw -2 5 llllll WITNESS INVENTOR 040474 J/fflJJ Sept. 11, 1923. r 1,467,395

G. ROSS ET AL SECTOR SPACER Filed May 314. 1921' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QMrQ ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 11, 1923.

GEORGE ROSS AND MAURICE J. ROSS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

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Application filed May 31, 1921. Serial No. 418,896.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, GEORGE Ross and- MAURICE J. Ross, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of the city and county of San Francisco, California, have invented a new and useful Sector Spacer, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to devices for indicating cuts in a cake or pie so that such articles may be evenly divided into a given number of pieces without waste or variation. I

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described which is adjustable so that it will guide the cutting of the cake or pie into any esired number of equally sized pieces, and which is-readily convertible from use with one of these articles to use with the other. Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described which is easily cleaned and kept in sanitary condition and composed of simple easily manufactured parts so that the manufacturin costs are low."

Thur invention possesses other objects and features of advanta e, some of which, with the foregoing, will set forth in the following description of our invention. It is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to the showing made by .thesaid description, as we may adopt variant forms of the invention within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device arranged for operation upon a cake. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the same. The plane of section is indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isan elevation of the device arranged for operating upon a pie. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the plate or spider for supporting the pie pan, the latter being shown in part.

In general terms the device of our invention comprises a table mounted for rotary movement and upon which a plate for holding the article to be operated upon is readily centerable. Means are also provided for centering the article upon the late. A pair of guide arms are arranged f0 rotary move ment about the axis of the table, the arms extending above the table radially toward the center of rotation. One of the guide arms is movable in respect of the other to include any desired angle which isan integral part of 360 Indicia are convenientl arranged for locating the movable gui e arms. Thus if the movable arm is set is set to the index 12, the included angle is 30, and the cake or pie may be marked for division into 12 pieces. Fig. 1 shows a device bearing indicia which permits the division of an article into any number of equal-parts from 4 to 16 inclusive.

More particularly our device comprises a base 2 u on which is suitably mounted a table 3. referably the connection is formed by means of a stud 4 on the table which is journaled in a suitable bearing formed in the base. Slides 6 near the periphery of the table complete the bearing.

his arrangement permits ready separation of the parts for cleaning, and is also of advantage in the manufacture and assembling of the device. The base and table may be formed of hard wood or of metal as de sired.

Surrounding the periphery of the table is an annulus provided with slides 8 which form a bearing upon the base. Qn one side of the annulus an extended portion 9 provides a mounting for the uide arms 11 and 12, which extend vertically and then horizontally and radially toward the center of the table, the outside edges 13 lying in vertical planes intersecting the axis of rotation 14 about which both the table and the an nulus may be turned. Indicia 15 for guidin the setting of the device are also arrange on the extension.

The arm 11 is fixed in position on the annulus by any suitable means, such as the bolt 16, the position of the aim being determined by engagement ofthelug 17 in the arcuate slot 18 formed in the extension 9. If desired, of course the arm 11 may be secured to the annulus by rivets 'or any other suitable means. The arm 12 is also provided at its base with a lug 19 slidably engaging in the slot 18 and a thumb nut 21 on the screw 22 provides means for securing the arm 12 in the desired adjusted position.

Superposed on the table is a plate 23 which is centered on the table by means of short legs or studs 24 which engage suitably formed recesses in the extended flange 26 of the table. The top of the plate is provided with a series of lines 27 concentric with the center ofrotation 14. Theselines are useful for centering a cake or other round loaf upon the plate. There is also provided however, means for more positively centering the cake. At spaced intervals about the outer edge of the plate are formed apertures 28 in which stops 29 may be engaged. These stops are plugged into apertures 30 lying in the circle corresponding to the size of the cake to be operated on, and, not only center the cake, but tend to resist any lateral displacement thereof on the plate.

From the above it will be clear that a cake may be easily centered upon the plate and the plate laid on the table. The movable arm 12 is then adjusted to indicate the desired number of pieces into which the cake is to be cut, and a knife run along the outer edge of the guide arm 11. The table bearing the cake, or the annulus bearing the guide arms, may then be rotated to 311118 the mark made by the knife with the outer edge of the arm 12, and a second line scribed upon the cake by running a knife along the fixed guide as before. The table is then rotated, or, if more convenient, the annulus is moved to position the cake under the guide arms for a third guide line. This process is repeated until the entire surface of the cake is "marked with line's which divide it accurately into the number of pieces shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is in the plate, which comprises a cross formed by the arms 31, which terminate in legs 32 adapted to seat inthe recess m 25 formed in the flange of the table. The pie is handled in the pan, and

' the plate provides means for raising the pie close to the guide arm. Studs 33 are adjustably fixed on three of the arms 31 to center the pie plate thereon. A fourth stud 34 is adjustably mounted upon an arm 36 pivoted in a horizontal plane to a center piece 37"Which is pivoted ina vertical plane near the center of the plate. The end of the arm 36 is formed to seat .onthe ledge 38 when the arm is pulled up and swung over into position, the pie pan then being securely heldby all four studs. Moving the arm 36 to one side and permitting it to drop releases the pie pan and permits it to bereadily removed from the plate.

We claim:

1. A sector spacer comprising a table, a pair of radial guides mounted for rotation about the center of said table, and means for releasably securing one of said guides in relation to the other at an angle which is an integral part of 360.

2. A sector spacer comprising a base, a rotatable table on said base, a pair of radial guides mountedfor rotation above said table and about the axis thereof, and means for releasably securing one of said guides in relation to the other at an angle WhlCh is an integral part of 360.

3. A sector spacer comprising a table, a pair of radial guides mounted for rotation above said table and about the center thereof, means for releasably securing one of said guides in relation to the other at an angle which is an integral part of 360, and means for centering the article to be operated on upon said table below said guides.

4. A sector spacer comprising a circular table, an annulus mounted for rotation about said table, a radial guide fixed on said annulus, indicia on said annulus for indicating integral parts of a circle spaced from said radial guide, a movable radial guide on said annulus, and means for releasably clamping said movable guide to said annulus at the desired indices.

5. A sector spacer comprising a table, a pair of radial guides mounted for rotation above said table and about the center, means for releasably securing one of said guides in relation to the other at an angle which is an integral part of 360, means for holding the article to be operated upon, means for centering said holding means upon said table, and means for centering said article upon said holding means.

6..A sector spacer comprising a table, a pair of radial guides mounted forrotation above said table and about the center, means for releasably securing one of said guides in relation to the other at an angle which is an integral part of 360, means for holding the article to be operated upon, means for centering said holding means upon said table, and adjustable studs on said holding means for centering said article thereon.-

7. A sector spacer comprising a base, a

rotatable table on said base, an annulus mounted for rotation about said table, a radial guide fixed on said annulus, indicia on saidannulus for indicating integral parts of a circle spaced from said radial guide, a movable radial guide on said annulus, means for releasably clamping said movable guide to said annulus at the desired indices, means for holding the article to be operated upon, means for centering said holding means upon said table, and adjustable studs on said holding means for centering said article thereon.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands.

' GEORGE ROSS.

MAURICE J. ROSS. 

